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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. chip — to eat
  4. current — electric
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. straw — to clutch at straws
  15. sharp — clever
  16. straw — dry grass
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. current — happening now
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. straw — a straw man
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. rush — hurry
  23. jam — a tight spot
  24. chip — for betting

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com